An overview of solid-state electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy for artificial fuel reactions.

The use of spectroscopy to characterize electrocatalytic processes is vital to the understanding and continuing the development of new catalysts for clean energy transformations. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR), which allows for the study of unpaired electron spins, shows great fundamental promise for the study of electrocatalysts, but was previously hindered by design limitations. Recently, several groups have demonstrated that these limitations can be overcome, providing valuable understandings of electrocatalyst function that other techniques are less suitable for. In this review, we summarize these findings across a range of experimental approaches and systems and describe the importance of EPR to each of these studies. By providing outlines for how these studies were able to overcome experimental design challenges, we hope to provide insight into potentially interested users.

Low-Temperature Direct Electrochemical Methanol Reforming Enabled by CO-Immune Mo-Based Hydrogen Evolution Catalysts.

Hydrogen storage in the form of intermediate artificial fuels such as methanol is important for future chemical and energy applications, and the electrochemical regeneration of hydrogen from methanol is thermodynamically favorable compared to direct water splitting. However, CO produced from methanol oxidation can adsorb to H2 -evolution catalysts and drastically reduce activity. In this study, we explore the origins of CO immunity in Mo-containing H2 -evolution catalysts. Unlike conventional catalysts such as Pt or Ni, Mo-based catalysts display remarkable immunity to CO poisoning. The origin of this behavior in NiMo appears to arise from the apparent inability of CO to bind Mo under electrocatalytic conditions, with mechanistic consequences for the H2 -evolution reaction (HER) in these systems. This specific property of Mo-based HER catalysts makes them ideal in environments where poisons might be present.

Metal-Organic Frameworks in Heterogeneous Catalysis: Recent Progress, New Trends, and Future Perspectives.

More than 95% (in volume) of all of today's chemical products are manufactured through catalytic processes, making research into more efficient catalytic materials a thrilling and very dynamic research field. In this regard, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer great opportunities for the rational design of new catalytic solids, as highlighted by the unprecedented number of publications appearing over the past decade. In this review, the recent advances in the application of MOFs in heterogeneous catalysis are discussed. MOFs with intrinsic thermocatalytic activity, as hosts for the incorporation of metal nanoparticles, as precursors for the manufacture of composite catalysts and those active in photo- and electrocatalytic processes are critically reviewed. The review is wrapped up with our personal view on future research directions.

Conjugation of A and B Blood Group Structures to Silica Microparticles for the Detection of Antigen-Specific B Cells.

Silica microparticles were functionalized with A and B blood group carbohydrate antigens (A type I, A type II, B type I, and B type II) to enable the detection and monitoring of ABO antigen-specific B cells. Microparticles were prepared via the Stöber synthesis, labeled with an Alexafluor fluorescent dye, and characterized via TEM and fluorescence microscopy. The silica microparticles were functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS), followed by the use of an established fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-protected PEG-based linker. The terminal Fmoc moiety of the PEG-based linker was then deprotected, yielding free amino groups, to which the A and B antigens were coupled. The carbohydrate antigens were synthesized with a p-nitrophenol ester to enable conjugation to the functionalized silica microparticles via an amide bond. The number of free amine groups available for coupling for a given mass of PEG-functionalized silica microparticles was quantified via reaction with Fmoc-glycine. The antigen-functionalized microparticles were then evaluated for their specificity in binding to A and B antigen-reactive B-cells via flow cytometry, and for blocking of naturally occurring antibodies in human serum. Selective binding of the functionalized microparticles to blood group-reactive B cells was observed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. The modular approach outlined here is applicable to the preparation of silica microparticles containing any carbohydrate antigen and alternative fluorophores or labels. This approach therefore comprises a novel, general platform for screening B cell populations for binding to carbohydrate antigens, including, in this case, the human A and B blood group antigens.

Oxygen Evolution Catalyzed by Nickel-Iron Oxide Nanocrystals with a Nonequilibrium Phase.

Mixed nickel-iron oxides are of great interest as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the kinetically challenging half-reaction required for the generation of hydrogen gas from water via electrolysis. Previously, we had reported the synthesis of single crystal, soluble nickel-iron oxide nanoparticles over a wide range of nickel:iron compositions, with a metastable cubic rock salt phase ([Ni,Fe]O) that can be isolated despite the low solubility of iron in cubic nickel oxide at ambient temperatures. Here, activity for OER was examined, catalyzed by these [Ni,Fe]O nanoparticles integrated with indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. Because the as-prepared [Ni,Fe]O nanoparticles are oleate-capped, the surface ligands needed to be removed to induce adherence to the ITO substrate, and to enable charge transfer and contact with water to enable OER catalysis. Two different approaches were taken to reduce or eliminate the coverage of oleate ligands in these films: UV irradiation (254 nm) and air plasma. UV irradiation proved to lead to better results in terms of stable and OER-active films at pH 13. Kinetic analysis revealed that the Tafel slopes of these nanoparticle [Ni,Fe]O OER electrodes were limited by the electrochemical surface area and were found to be within the range of 30 to 50 mV/decade. Across the four compositions of Ni:Fe studied, from 24:76 to 88:12, the observed overpotential at 10 mA/cm2 for the OER in basic conditions decreased from 0.47 to 0.30 V as the proportion of nickel increased from 24% to 88%.

Expression of MS4A and TMEM176 Genes in Human B Lymphocytes.

The MS4A gene family in humans includes CD20 and at least 15 other genes. CD20 exists as homo-oligomers in the plasma membrane, however different MS4A proteins expressed in the same cell may hetero-oligomerize. Given the importance of CD20 in B-cell function and as a therapeutic target, we sought to explore the potential for CD20 hetero-oligomerization with other MS4A proteins. We investigated expression in primary human B-cells of the four MS4A genes previously shown to be expressed in human B-cell lines (MS4A4A, MS4A6A, MS4A7, MS4A8B), as well as two genes comprising the closely related TMEM176 gene family, with a view to identifying candidates for future investigation at the protein level. TMEM176A and TMEM176B transcripts were either not detected, or were detected at relatively low levels in a minority of donor B-cell samples. MS4A4A and MS4A8B transcripts were not detected in any normal B-cell sample. MS4A6A and MS4A7 transcripts were detected at low levels in most samples, however the corresponding proteins were not at the plasma membrane when expressed as GFP conjugates in BJAB cells. We also examined expression of these genes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and found that it was similar to normal B-cells with two exceptions. First, whereas MS4A4A expression was undetected in normal B-cells, it was expressed in 1/14 CLL samples. Second, compared to expression levels in normal B-cells, MS4A6A transcripts were elevated in 4/14 CLL samples. In summary, none of the MS4A/TMEM176 genes tested was expressed at high levels in normal or in most CLL B-cells. MS4A6A and MS4A7 were expressed at low levels in most B-cell samples, however the corresponding proteins may not be positioned at the plasma membrane. Altogether, these data suggest that CD20 normally does not form hetero-oligomers with other MS4A proteins and that there are unlikely to be other MS4A proteins in CLL that might provide useful alternate therapeutic targets.